The Brooklyn Nets have the second game of a back-to-back on the road to take on the Portland Trailblazers who are still missing Damian Lillard due to an abdominal injury. The Nets are now 25-13, 1.5 games behind the top seeded Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference. That's the very team they're set to play against on Wednesday, spearheaded by DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine.
With a grueling five games in seven days, the Nets are especially happy to have Kyrie Irving in the lineup for some of their road tilts. Since they did not have Irving, they've all been logging massive minutes and getting fatigued. You can bet the team is thrilled to have a seven-time All-Star back.
Before their meeting, Blazers first-year coach and former champion Chauncey Billups said Irving is one of the most skilled point guards he's ever seen.
Billups was a five-time All-Star, a three-time All-NBA player, and two time NBA All-Defensive selection, so he's not exactly a lightweight himself when it comes to point guard skills.
“Kyrie is a wizard, man. He's must-see TV. I personally think, as somebody who played the position, I think Kyrie's the most skilled player ever to play that position,” said Billups via ESPN's Nick Friedell.
Chauncey Billups: “Kyrie is a wizard, man. He’s must see TV. I personally think, as somebody who played the position, I think Kyrie’s the most skilled player ever to play that position.”
— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) January 11, 2022
Before tip-off, Nets coach Steve Nash was asked if he agrees with the 2004 NBA Finals MVP and Detroit Pistons legend.
“Yeah it’s hard to argue,” admitted Nash who has battled against the likes of Chris Paul, Tony Parker, Allen Iverson, and many other Hall of Fame PGs. “There’s others in the conversation. Obviously, Steph (Curry) is incredibly skilled but just so deadly from long range in a variety of ways. But as far as the ball-handling, the movement, getting to his spots and shooting at all 3 levels, around the rim, (Kyrie is) off the charts, getting to the midrange he’s off the charts, and he’s excellent from deep as well.”
Off the charts is a good way to put it. Irving, who has missed the entire season except for the last road game against the Indiana Pacers, is set for a couple games in a row in the coming days.
It's extremely high praise coming from Nash, a two-time NBA MVP. We expect coaches to praise their own players but Nash didn't have to go this far. Of course, he himself was an absolute wizard and possessed many of the attributes he credits Irving with. For him to praise the Nets playmaker so highly is big. Nash did give Curry his props as a lethal shooter, but it sounds like he may be giving the edge in terms of total skills package from ball-handling and finishing to Irving.
With Irving back in the fold, the Nets can expect a huge boost to their rotation. They're short a player once again in James Harden who's nursing a left knee. But Nash said he expects The Beard back in action for their conference showdown with the Bulls on Wednesday.
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